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Chapter 9: Live and Learn

Marie was lying in her bed staring up at the ceiling. She kept thinking about what Chase had said to her. How he said he didn't want anything to happen to her how he just cared. Could it be that Chase's feelings for her ran deeper than friendship? She rolled over facing the wall. Thoughts of Todd came to mind. She had always felt some kind of special connection with Todd but was that love or just the fact that he was her best friend? She closed her eyes confused and her mind drifted to the question of whether she should train with Chase or not was she ready for this and then she remembered Sonic he had called her Amy but why; did he know her mother? She had often been told she looked like her mother but never had someone mistaken her for Amy.

"Marie?"

"Hey mom." She was still facing the wall.

"Marie you haven't been coming home from school on time the past two days. Is there anything wrong?" Amy stood in the doorway watching Marie flip over to face the ceiling.

"No mom I've just been slower lately you know I've had a lot on my mind."

"Oh I see but don't forget you're being late cuts out the practice with your father that you need to control your powers so try not to be late." Amy closed the door.

Marie had made up her mind she wasn't going to stop seeing Chase. She was going to see him again tomorrow and she was going t start training with him and Sonic.

-Next day-

Marie's eyes flickered open. She was awoken by the sun poring in from her bedroom window. She sat up in the bed and rubbed her eyes. She lazily glanced over to the digital clock on her nightstand. It read 1:00 pm. Her eyes grew wide. "I slept in!" She jumped up from the bed and started digging through clothes that were somewhat strode about the room. She grabbed a pair of baggy blue jeans and a black tank top. She was putting on her left shoe as she hopped down the hall on her other foot. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?" She briskly walked into the kitchen. It was so strange her mom hardly ever let her sleep later than 12 o'clock. She slowed as she reached the doorway that connected the den and the kitchen. She peaked out it very carefully she saw her father sitting in his usual spot reading once again. She shook her head and smiled as she stepped back and ran to the front door through a different root. She reached it and exited the house. Marie walked down the street wondering why her father read so much. She hardly ever saw him watching TV. No he was always reading some book and for the past few weeks he had been working on very large book. She was amazed at how many books he had read but this one was huge she was curious if he'd even be able to finish that one. Then again a book could often turn out to be shorter than it appears especially if it was a good book.

Marie's left arm was suddenly grabbed and wrapped around someone's waste. "You just can't keep your hands off me can you?"

Marie looked to see Todd walking next to her. "Todd." She sighed with a smile on her face.

"So where are you going all by yourself?" He pulled her closer.

"No where important." She tried to think up a good excuse she couldn't have him follow her she really didn't want him to find out about Chase. What was something Todd would absolutely hate to do no matter what he wouldn't go? "I'm heading over to Lesley's house to work on some math homework with her."

"Well then hope you have fun with that." He practically cringed at the mere mentioning of the word math. "So after you get done with your 'math' would you care to join me for a little entertainment this evening?" Todd was very good at his aerostatic impressions.

"You mean like we do every Saturday night?" Marie asked. They had been doing stuff on Saturday night ever since they started high school.

"Has it really been that long?" He stopped Marie and went down on one knee in front of her. "Surely you do not tire of me my dearest."

Marie giggled she loved it when Todd acted funny he made her laugh and smile a lot. Not to mention how much she loved to play along in these little romantically humorous skits. She sat down on his knee and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. "The day I grow tired of you my darling is the day the world stops turning." She laughed as she got up and then helped Todd up as well. "Will we ever grow up?"

"I don't care as long as we don't grow apart." He took her hand and bowed as he kissed it. "I shall protect you to the end my beauty."

"Todd come on." She pulled him up. "You treat me like royalty."

"Does that mean I get to be your prince?" He arched a brow in question as he smiled a perverted grin.

"You are impossible." She pulled from his grip and started to walk down the street.

"That doesn't answer my question." He yelled as she stood on the sidewalk watching her walk away. "Fine I'll get an answer tonight meet cha at Galleons."

"Okay see ya then." Marie thought to herself. She had practically grown up in Galleons it was kind of like a club where you could dance and eat and just hang out. The best thing was that there weren't any druggies or any other sick people they had to worry about there. She loved that place it was where she had spent many a Saturday night with Todd dancing till dawn. She cleared her mind as she walked into the park from the north entrance. She stood there looking around for Chase. She thought maybe he'd be here again. She suddenly heard a snap of a twig someone was moving around in the bushes close by. She took a quick step backwards but she was stepping off the cement path and lost her balance. She would have fallen if she hadn't been caught by Chase.

"You have wonderful hearing but next time don't get so excited prepare yourself you don't know who it could be." He was still holding her in a dipped style. He smiled at her as he brought her back up.

"Is that lesson number one then?"

"You mean you're gonna train with me?" Chase asked.

"Yes I want too." She answered.

"Come on lets go." He took her hand and led her away.

Marie was standing in the middle of the arena she had seen yesterday. It was lit up now even though it had seemed so dark the last time she had been in the underground world. Sonic was circling her as Chase stood aside watching. "First of all we'll start with your fighting stance." 'Amy always did seem weak in her battle positions' Sonic thought. "Lets see what we're working with take your position." Sonic ordered. Marie stood straight and had one arm pushed slightly outward the other pulled back and her knees bent to some extent. "Not bad." "But you're still unbalanced and it's obvious you've neglected any training the past few days. You were taught to fight that way correct?"

Marie looked at him confused how did he know that she trained he hadn't said anything about her father but none the less he knew she had been training with someone. "Yes but how-?"

"Not many people take that position to fight, they're not smart enough and they most likely aren't thinking about that when fighting. This is a beginnings position that many trained fighters take when fighting but I believe you can do better Amy. As for knowing more most trainees that learn that stance can lose it's perfection if they don't practice with it continuously which is a strong factor you're showing. " He turned around and looked at Chase. "Chase come and show her a more proper stance."

Marie just ignored that Sonic called her Amy she found it annoying but she didn't want to anger him. So she allowed it. She watched Chase as he stood beside her. He took a somewhat similar position only he brought his ejected arm more inward and his other arm was pulled down more and he also had one foot pushed slightly outward. She tried to mimic the stance. "That's almost perfect." Chase told her. He walked around so that he was behind her and then he put his arms across hers so that they're bodies were like one. "Okay you only have to adjust it a bit." He moved her thumbs on her fists so they were only on her first two fingers and then he pushed her foot out a speck more. Marie was blushing as she felt his warm body on hers. She was still red even after he had released her and taken his place back behind Sonic.

"That is perfect." Sonic said as he stepped closer to her as she stood like a stone in the position. He put a finger under the edge of her chin and brought it up slightly so that she met him eye to eye. There was something in his cold spine chilling stare that made Marie afraid very afraid she thought she might scream if she didn't look away. She looked to the side not saying anything. Sonic removed his hand and smiled 'same Amy still shy as ever.' "You will practice that stance for a while I want you to be able to move around and take that stance during battle when being attacked and any other time you might need to use it. It's an advanced stance but you'll get it now begin."